BEST Western Hotels, Britain's largest independently-owned hotels group, has moved into the major office extension at its headquarters at Clifton Moor.

The £500,000 two-storey extension, designed and built by Thirsk-based Severfield Reeve Projects - will house some of the administrative staff which has been based in the existing 15,350 sq ft building.

The new extension finally replaces a temporary building which has been used as offices by the sales, marketing and purchasing consortium which represents more than 300 independent British hotels.

David Hayes, Best Western's chief executive, said: "The last few years have been partoicularly difficult for the tourism-related industries due to a combination of factors which led to a massive downturn of confidence.

"We have now turned a corner and have started 2003 with confidence and this extension is an embodiment of that."

Updated: 09:46 Tuesday, January 28, 2003